Why Use A Longer Rod?

[NIMROD]

Sounds like subject covered well. I verticle jig mostly so I use 11 footers . But you will find you can get more casting distance out of a 6 or 7 foot rod over a short 4 foot .

[gbhill]

Thanks guys, lot's of great advice. I have a 10ft. telescoping pole but don't use it enough. It would be good around the dam area where I fish. I was looking at those B&M 7ft rods & it felt right. I'd like to find a good reel to pair with & make a nice crappie rod.

[yobuck]

Check out the Pro Angler rods also. They make a very nice rod and ship free from Texas.
They have a nice website and you get the owner when you call.

[CrappiePappy]

I was looking at those B&M 7ft rods & it felt right. I'd like to find a good reel to pair with & make a nice crappie rod.

Whatever reel you decide on, make sure it "balances" the outfit. By that I mean ... you should be able to stick out your finger and place the rod/reel across it, with the very front end of the handle laying across your finger ... and the rod/reel will stay balanced on your finger. It's OK if the rod wants to tip back towards the handle end a little ... but, you don't want it to tip towards the rod tip end with any speed. A handle heavy outfit will feel just a bit heavy in your hand, but a rod tip heavy outfit will stress your wrist & forearm and be uncomfortable to use for any length of time.

It's the same principle as picking up a brick and broom ... if you pick them up together, in one hand, they don't pose much of a problem -- but, if you put the brick on the "straw end" and try to pick them up holding onto the handle end, it "seems" to weigh 10 times as much !!

[C_D]

Catch me out on the lake and you will see 2 12', 2 6'6",2 4" and 4 18" ice rods. The ice rods outfish all the others 2 to 1.

[RiverSlabber]

Ive been moving shorter and shorter for casting applications now. I use an 8ft BGJP mostly for jigging brush and lilly pads and pitching slip float rigs short distances. Ive been using my 5'6" for casting and retrieving and longer float fishing.

Of course a 7ft ultralight Shakespeare at Gander Mountain has caught my eye recently for gill fishing.

[slabseeker1]

This year I was lucky enough to get the Creel Clerk job on my local lake and get to see different methods and locations as I run the boat around the lake and interview fisherman. When you see the same few older fellas using the same technic, catching crappie like they do, ya know its worth a try. They use a 10' rod and and cast a jig under a slip bobber set anywhere from 10' - 15', just so their jig clears the brush they're casting to. When I questioned one fisherman as why the long rod he said he'd had trouble in the past with the stop getting line overlap when it was on the reel with a shorter rod. With a 10' rod he could fish just above thermolcline (18-20' in our lake) and keep the stop out of the reel.

[jackie53]

We do a lot of bank fishing in our area lots of small streams and river's,oxbow slough's.Catch a lot of fish on a fly rod and auto reel"old style.The Texas fishing forum "the crappie section" has some good info and video's on this subject.They even have an instructor that puts on seminar's on bank fishing,rod's,reels lot of good info.hope this help's and good fishing.

[deathb4disco]

The Texas fishing forum "the crappie section" has some good info and video's on this subject.

I could not find any. Can you please post a link?

[CrappiePappy]

I could not find any. Can you please post a link?

Post a link IF the Texas Fishing Forum you're referring to is part of this site.

If NOT ... PM the link to deathb4disco, please. References and links to competing websites are not allowed per Site Rules.